Fiat Launches The US-Spec Version Of 500 Cabrio

After removing the three-door hatchback variant of the 500 United States, Fiat announced a new addition to the series model 1950 style 500C, where "C" is the Cabrio. However, most will quickly discover that the 500C is not really a full convertible model that the Italian company has decided to relaunch the rollback canvas roof of the original Cinquecento (500).

The high double layer of fabric stretches along the sedan and the diminutive folds where the rear window would be on the tin version above. The electric hood is via a push button, and can tow up the rear wing at speeds up to 60 mph (96 km / h).

The four-seat 500C offers buyers a choice of three exterior colors soft top, 14 exterior colors, 12 colors and single seat combinations of materials, plus a choice of two interior trim.

The Italian company has not yet revealed details of the engine range, but expect to find the same 101HP 1.4-liter four-cylinder petrol Multiair that feeds the twin solid roof. Launch dates and prices will be announced later.

The US-spec 500C will be presented next week at New York International Auto Show.

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GENEVA 2010: ABARTH 500C BLOWS ITS TOP

For every car, there’s a prospective customer. And for a car like the Fiat 500C, a cutesy retro mini with a pseudo-cabrio sliding canvas roof, we hardly need to point out who that target demographic is. But as if to highlight what a difference the little things can make, the Abarth version is another beast entirely.

By “little things”, here we mean stuff like a 140-horsepower, 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a five-speed sequential paddle-shift transmission and a badass two-tone paint job. All that may not sound like much, but when applied to a little thing like the 500C, it represents the difference between the stock Fiat’s potential customer and the car nut who takes her out for an evening on the town.

If the collaborative minds at Fiat and Chrysler deem us worthy, we’d enthusiastically count ourselves among the Abarth 500C’s potential customers. But for now we’ll just have to enjoy admiring it on the show floor here in Geneva where it’s just been unveiled, and we have the photos to prove it along with more details in the press release after the jump.

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